Portable step



W. F. JACOBS.

PORTABLE STEP.

APPLICATION HLED MAR 22, 1920.

Patented Dec. 28, 1920.,

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I WILLIAM FREDRICK JACOBS, OFTOI|EDO, OHZO, ASSIG-NOR T0 CHARLES C. JACOBS,

HENRY moors, LENA'RD GRAY, ALBERT J; moons, AND WILLIAM F. moors, A COPARTNERSHIP nonve- BUSINESS as amnnrenn srnr AND TRESSEL COMPANY.

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To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VVILLIAM F. JACOBS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Steps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to portable steps, and it comprises the combination of a pair of inclined supports, of substantially triangular brackets adapted to be secured to said supports, said brackets being provided with means for-securing them to said supports and having a portion embracing said supports, and a step removably secured to said brackets; all as more fully ihereinafter set forth and as claimed.

One of the objects of the present invention is to produce a portable step of simple construction which may be readily assembled and disassembled.

A further object is the provision of a construction of this character which may be assembled by unskilled workmen.

In the drawings, I have shown one embodiment of this invention. In this showa Figure 1 is a perspective view showing several of the portable steps assembled.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the brackets employed.

Fig. 3 is a substantially vertical sectional view through the lower end of the bracket, and

Fig. 4 is a similar View through the other end of the bracket.

Referring to the drawings, the letter A designates the sleeper or support upon which the portable steps are arranged. As shown, a pair of such supports are provided and they are arranged at the proper angle for the pitch of the step. The step is supported on the sleepers by means of a bracket shown in detail in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Referring to this figure, the bracket con sists of a substantially triangular member having an inclined side or arm 1, which is adapted to lie on the sleeper. At the lower end, this arm is slightly widened as at 2 and is provided with depending flanges 3 and 4, adapted to embrace the sides of the sleepers (see Fig. 3). The bracket is secured to the sleeper by suitable fastening means, such as a screw 5, arranged in the widened portion 2 Specification of Letters Patent. Pat t d D 2 192@ Application filed. March 22, 1920.

Serial No. 367,908.

of thearm. At the upper end of the arm 1, there is provided a depending flange 6, the lower end of which is extended horizontally as at 7, and the extreme end 8 arranged substantially parallel to the main portion 6 of the flange. This flange is adapted to engage a sleeper on three sides (see Fig. 4C), and thus substantially embrace it. A screw 9, or other suitable fastening means, is arranged in the horizontal portion 7 of the flange extending upwardly into the sleeper.

A substantially vertical arm 10 is carried by the arm 1- and the tread support 11, forming the third side 'of the triangle, is arranged upon the arms 1 and 10: As shown, this member is preferably of greater width for the purpose of furnishing a substantial support for the tread proper. The tread 12 is mounted on the tread support and is secured thereto by any suitable fastening means such as screws 13. When the portable step is to be used, the supporting brackets are arranged on the sleepers and disposed opposite each other. After the brackets have been secured to the sleeper, the tread portions 12 are arranged on the tread supports 11 and secured thereto by fastening means 13. The steps may be quickly and easily assembled by unskilled workmen, and the manner of fastening the supporting brackets to the sleepers gives a very substantial construction. After the steps are assembled, they may be placed in position at the proper pitch. Steps of different pitches may be constructed by em ploying supporting brackets of different sizes. To change the pitch of the step, supporting brackets having the arms 1 and 10 of different relative lengths are employed.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention, the invention is not limited to the details of construction herein set forth and various modifications may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a portable step construction, the combination with a pair of inclined supports, of a bracket secured to each of said supports, each of said brackets comprising a triangular body portion having an upper substantially horizontal edge and a lower for securing the lower ends of said brackets to the supports, and adepending flange secured at the upper end of each of said brackets extending entirely across and contacting one face of one of said inclined supports and having a transverse portion adapted to extend across and contact the lower edge of one of said inclined supports;

2. In a portable step construction, the combination with a pair of inclinedsupports having flat inner faces, of a bracket secured to each of said supports, each of said brackets comprising a triangular body por tion having an upper substantially horizontal edge and a lower flat inclined edge adapted to rest upon the upper edge of one of the inclined supports, means for securing the lower ends of said brackets to the supports, and a substantially J-shaped depending flange secured to the upper end of each of said brackets, each of said flanges being adapted to contact entirely across the inner face and the lower edge and a portion of the width of the outer face of one of said inclined supports; 7

3. In a portable step construction, the combination with a pair of inclined supports, having fiat inner faces, of a bracket secured to each of said supports, each of said brackets comprising a triangular body portion having an upper substantially horizontal edge and a lower flat inclined edge adapted to rest upon the upper edge of one of the inclined supports, means for securing the lower ends of said brackets to the supports, and a substantially J-shaped depending flange secured to the upper end of each of said brackets, each of said flanges being adapted to contact entirely across'the inner face and the lower edge and a portion of the width of the outer face of one of said inclined supports, the longitudinal edge of said depending flange being arranged at substantially right angles with the. inclined edge of said brackets.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM FREDRICK JACOBS.

Witnesses: l

CHAs. C. Jncoss, L. B. GRAY. 

